Uzma Ayub case: ATC acquits all 13 accused, disposes Karak rape case

The orders were issued by Judge Syed Asghar Ali Shah after the charges against the men could not be proven.


Our Correspondent February 02, 2013

PESHAWAR:


A Peshawar Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has acquitted all 13 accused of gang raping Uzma Ayub, a Karak resident, while disposing of case proceedings.


The orders were issued by ATC Judge Syed Asghar Ali Shah after the charges against the men could not be proven. The accused included an SHO, a sub-inspector, an assistant sub-inspector and an army official.

According to an FIR registered by Uzma’s mother, Bilqisam Jana, at Takht-e-Nusrati police station, Karak (and Uzma’s own testimony in front of the PHC on October 13, 2011), 13 men had allegedly abducted Uzma, kept her in custody for 11 months and repeatedly raped here.

Uzma was pregnant when she returned home in September 2011. She maintains her daughter Zeba’s father is one of the thirteen men she accused of raping her.

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) had taken notice of the case and initiated proceedings.

In addition to Uzma’s inconclusive polygraph test, DNA tests were also conducted to determine the parentage of the infant. The tests revealed Uzma was Zeba’s mother, however, they also cleared all the 13 accused.

After the seven-month long case proceedings, PHC directed the trial court to decide the case its merit.

The men denied the charges and said the accusations against them were vindication for arresting Uzma’s brother who was wanted in six different cases. Her brother Alamzeb Khattak was later gunned down on December 9, 2011 within limits of a Karak court, while escorting her during a case appearance.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2013.

 

COMMENTS (1)

indian | 11 years ago | Reply

there's no justice for women in pakistan.............rapes are too common in pakistan but never reported ....

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ